The Dubliners by James Joycehttp://www.enotes.com/dubliners-textJames Joyce was an Irish author who...
played a pivotal role in the importance of Irish literature. Joyce is most famous for his text Ulysses, but also for works such as Finnegan's Wake and The Dubliners. Although both Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake are long and involved with multiple storylines, chapters and subtexts written in stream of consciousness writing, The Dubliners is a bit different. This is a story which is really a collection of the innerworkings of Irish city culture. Although "The Dead" is the most popular portion of the text, it is quite lengthly and filled with symbolism and other components that may be difficult for you to decipher on your own. However, there are other important short stories like "Araby," "An Encounter," "A Painful Case,"A Mother," "The Boarding House," and "The Sisters" which you will be in charge of reading. Attempt to relate to the characters, their struggle with society, their desires and their stake in life through elements of the text. Try to understand that each short story is different but the collection still resembles a cohesive unit of a picture of Irish life. James Joyce is most notably known for this feat.
For a different perspective of Joyce, below is a video of "Finnegan's Wake," (performed by the Dropkick Murphys) which is the inspiration for Joyce's novel of the same name. Joyce manages to make an interwoven, almost complicated tale based upon this old Irish folk ballad. Clip obtained from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_ar_hcuw98
The Dubliners by James Joyce
played a pivotal role in the importance of Irish literature. Joyce is most famous for his text Ulysses, but also for works such as Finnegan's Wake and The Dubliners. Although both Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake are long and involved with multiple storylines, chapters and subtexts written in stream of consciousness writing, The Dubliners is a bit different. This is a story which is really a collection of the innerworkings of Irish city culture. Although "The Dead" is the most popular portion of the text, it is quite lengthly and filled with symbolism and other components that may be difficult for you to decipher on your own. However, there are other important short stories like "Araby," "An Encounter," "A Painful Case,"A Mother," "The Boarding House," and "The Sisters" which you will be in charge of reading. Attempt to relate to the characters, their struggle with society, their desires and their stake in life through elements of the text. Try to understand that each short story is different but the collection still resembles a cohesive unit of a picture of Irish life. James Joyce is most notably known for this feat.
For a different perspective of Joyce, below is a video of "Finnegan's Wake," (performed by the Dropkick Murphys) which is the inspiration for Joyce's novel of the same name. Joyce manages to make an interwoven, almost complicated tale based upon this old Irish folk ballad. Clip obtained from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_ar_hcuw98